Florida Gov. Rick Scott outlined a $450 million plan aimed at keeping schools safer while defending his stance against banning semi-automatic weapons similar to the one used to gun down students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott outlined his plan to improve school safety in wake of the deadly Parkland massacre.

(Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg)

“We have to really focus on the problem. We have to take all weapons away from people with mental illness.”

In the week after 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz killed 17 students and teachers at the Parkland school, teen survivors of the deadly attack have been vocal critics on the nation’s lack of gun safety laws.

Scott, a member of the NRA, mostly followed in the footsteps of President Trump, suggesting initiatives that include upping the legal age for persons buying firearms to 21, expanding background checks, and pushing to end the sale of bump stocks.

“As an association we’ve been very clear over the last few days in our call to every level of government that we need a sworn certified law enforcement officer at every school,” NASRO CEO Mo Canady said. “And we have to do that before we even start talking about arming school teachers.”

Scott said the $450 million will go toward achieving that end as well as providing schools with metal detectors and other security measures. The funds will also be aimed at expanding “mental health initiatives.”